For her wedding anniversary Barbara got and iPod Nano G4. Here are some videos...Sean's singing/drumming debut is to "Walk the Dinosaur".

Merry Christmas Season

This week Barbara and I finally made it to Bass Pro Shop. It is a very cool store, even if you don't hunt. Sean went there with Grandma and Aunt Joanne last year to get a photo with Santa. This year, we did not even know Santa was there yet. It was a pretty slow Tuesday night - when we went to Santa's Wonderland Santa came and helped Sean play with a remote control truck then we had their picture taken. The place is filled with mounted dead animals, which Sean loves. There is also a shooting gallery with moving animals. Sean made sure he described to me each animal and whether it was a "good' or "bad" animal. We had dinner in the restaurant that has a fish tank and fish mounted everywhere. One other boy, about 5 or 6, at another table kept talking about a blue marlin he thought was a shark. Sean: "that's not a shark!"

Rice Wins!

Saturday we and Dziadziu went to the Rice vs. Tulane game.  Rice entered at 0-9 for the season, and pulled out a convincing win to move to 1-9.  Sean loved the big stadium, but was focused on his popcorn and hot dog most of all.

Sunday we went to visit new baby Dylan Boyce.  He is a cute, small, baby.

Barbara loves her some Dylan

Tadd helps feed Dylan

Sean and Elissa in her club house

Heather has her hands full

Johnsons and Carters Visit

On the morning after Halloween we did Sean's new favorite weekend activity (right up there with falling asleep on the couch and watching football) - having breakfast on the patio.Below, he helps dad concentrate on the paper.

On the day after Halloween the Carters and Johnsons came over for dinner from the old 'hood.  Even with a bigger house 8 kids total seemed like a handful.  Sean talked about it all weekend until they came, and he had a good time having all the kids over.

Halloween 2009

Sean had a great time on Halloween. We went to a 6-year old birthday across the street in the afternoon. Halloween night Sean and Mom went trick-or-treating while Dad manned the house. We had about 35 people come by. Dad got a little cranky when Sean and Mom came back and kept handing out too much candy - two pieces per kid, that is the rule!

Halloween - Too Much Candy!

Halloween is Coming!

The past weekend was spent with Nana and Grandpa.  They came to visit their southernmost child for a few days after Dylan was born.  On Friday we went to see the Friendswood Mustangs again.  Sean was mostly interested in popcorn.

Sunday was Friendswood's Halloween event in Stevenson Park.  Sean wore his Thomas the Tank Engine costume for the first time.

 

Over the last 3 weeks or so we have had almost nothing but lots of rain.  The roof over the sun room/dining room has leaked a little twice, but it has not been dry enough to reseal.  Below is a relatively large tree frog that visited the front door last night.

 

Welcome Dylan!

Dylan Hayes Boyce was born Tuesday night just after 6pm.  He weighed in at 6 lbs 13oz and just over 19 inches.  Mom, Dylan, Nick and Elissa are all doing great!

Proud Papa Nick with Dylan's foot prints

 Sean and Elissa spend time waiting...

Dylan poses for family

Kemah HeartWalk

Saturday we walked in Kemah for the American Heart Association.  Dziadziu and Auntie Jo came too.

We set out a little early to ensure we were back home by the UT-OU game.

Saturday afternoon we went with Jen, Dave and Alton to Dewberry farms in Katy.  It was a little crowded.

Elissa's Birthday Party and Visits to see Aunt Heather

Link to all October Pictures HERE:

Sunday Elissa had her 4th Birthday Party and a bounce place.  Nick did a great job with his in-laws in setting up and running the party.  After the bouncing we had pizza, ice cream and cake.  Sean was very into the eating part, not so much the bouncing part.  Not captured on "film:" Dave pushing Greg on a cart in the parking lot racing Mike and Zachary.

 

After the bounce party we went to visit Heather in the hospital.  Baby Dylan's due date has been set for next week.  Way to hang in there Heather!

 

 

Shelf Construction 10/3/09

Sean and Daddy work on a new shelf to better organize toys in line with Daddy's OCD.

Sean going for more screws - the hard way

Looking for new places to stick screws

Cubby holes for his "babies"

After a hard day of construction work it is time to settle down and read the Pottery Barn catalog with Mommy.

Trip to NY for Aunt Izia's Birthday

Last weekend the extended Pastalaniec family got together in Amsterdam, NY - All 8 of us - for Aunt Izia's 80th birthday.  Grandma and Dziadziu drove up earlier in the week and the rest of us flew up on Saturday and back on Monday. All had a great time, especially Izia and Sean (and maybe Grandma - Sean was a real Grandma's boy.)

 

 Sean helps Izia blow her candles out

 Izia forgot it was her birthday and gave Sean some gifts: a cool book about a tractor and a new Thomas train station.  Sean was in train heaven.  He played that the train station was in Amsterdam and was delivering passengers to the airport in Albany.

We took a side trip on Sunday to a craft show in Broadalbin at the Eagle Mills cider mill

Sean helps Grandma feed her favorite animal - a goat!

A family picture in front of the cider mill

A machine guarding accident waiting to happen in the cider mill

Rasing Money for the American Heart Association

On October 17th The American Heart Association will be holding the Bay Area Heart Walk in Kemah.  We have split up into four teams at ISP (by operating shift) to sign up walkers and encourage donations.

Click HERE to join my team, the "A-Team," as a walker.

Click HERE to donate to the American Heart Association

Since 1924 the American Heart Association has helped protect people from the ravages of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, the Nation's No.1 and No.3 killers, claim more than 910,000 American lives a year. The association invests more than $540 million a year for research, professional and public education, and advocacy so people across America can live stronger, longer lives.

Saturday was ISP's company picnic at Moody Garden's Palm Beach.  We had the entire park reserved for ISP - it was awesome.  Sean spent 2+ hours in the water playing with other ISP kids.

The package deal included a pass to our choice of another Moody Garden attraction.  We went to the aquarium.  Sean has been very interested in animals and animal families, especially fish and sting rays.

Early Sunday morning Elissa was a surprise visitor.  After she woke up the two cousins were inseparable the rest to the day playing pretend games.  We took a trip to the park and played a little there and then had lunch at Sonic - putting the nail in he coffin of Dave's attempt to try be  healthy for the week.

Friday Night Lights

Friday night lights at the Friendswood Mustang's stadium.  Sean's first high school game and Dave's first in 20+ years.  We explained to Sean that the Mustangs were his team, the Aggies are Mom's team, the Longhorns are Dad's team and the Buckeyes are Grandpa's team.  The Mustangs won 42-7 over the Nederland Bulldogs.

New stats and a busy weekend at home

Sean visited the doctor last week to get his flu shot - he measured 37 inches and weighed in at 29 lbs.  His verbal skills and vocabulary continue to increase. The past week he has been all about matching: "I need the bread that matches the hot dog!" (not a tortilla, as was offered.) This evening he asked me to sit "criss cross applesauce," which apparently is the modern terminology for sitting with your legs crossed.

Sean and Mommy get ready for bed

Sean and Grandma play "boat"

No more monkeys jumping on the bed....

Sean at Kemah on a rainy day